NEW DELHI - In the wake of unabated violence by Naxals, more than 6,000 additional central paramilitary personnel have been sent to Maoist-hit states to beef up security and ensure peace during the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. The forces are in addition to the 90,000 central security personnel currently engaged in anti-Naxal operations in nine states - Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, West Bengal, Maharashtra,

Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. The additional forces have been sent mainly to Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha and Bihar. The decision has come after the Maoist killed 15 security personnel and a civilian in an ambush in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district. Apart from those engaged in the fight against the redrebels, the Home Ministry is also making available around 200,000 central paramilitary personnel to ensure peaceful polling across the country. The polling for the nine-phased general election will commence on April 7. The Center has identified 33 districts in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Odisha, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh as highly sensitive as the highest number of violent incidents involving Maoists were reported in Lok Sabha elections in 2004 and 2009 and assembly polls in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2013 in these districts. Besides, in 2013, there were 383 incidents of violence in Jharkhand in which 150 civilians and security personnel were killed and there were 353 such cases in Chhattisgarh where 110 people lost their lives.In Bihar, 69 people, including security personnel lost their lives in 176 incidents of violence in 2013 while 101 cases of violence were reported in Odisha in which 35 people were killed. (PTI)